CRIME Report from HAMSA

Civil Rights In the Middle East - June 2008:

6 Years Hard Labor for Yemeni Journalist al-Khaiwani

The charges against him - including “insulting the President” - carried the death penalty. In that respect, Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani enjoyed a small victory on June 9, when a Yemeni judge sentenced him to six years in prison with hard labor. But for hundreds of people around the world campaigning on behalf of the pioneering journalist, the ruling was a travesty of justice and a warning bell for Yemen’s independent media.

“Today is the worst day for freedom of press in Yemen,” said Sami Ghalib, head of the Rights and Freedoms in the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate. The American Islamic Congress immediately released a statement slamming the decision. Amnesty International, which had just named al-Khaiwani as a finalist for a prestigious human rights journalism award, condemned the verdict, as did the State Department. Jane Novak, the New Jersey blogger who has driven the campaign for al-Khaiwani’s freedom, discussed the case on Fox News, National Public Radio, and Al-Arabiya. ...

Egypt Bans Book by Ex-Policeman on Police Brutality

Omar Afifi was once considered weak by his colleagues on the police force. The Egyptian worked in the state security department and refused to torture suspects. After he quit the force, he decided to inform the Egyptian public how to avoid getting abused by security forces. In March, his “how-to” expose hit bookstores - only to get banned.

“How Not to Get Smacked on Your Neck,” was declared a “disturbance to public order” by the Egyptian government. Yet all the book featured were questions and answers informing Egyptians of their rights and how to deal with abusive police officers accordingly. Abusive police officers often get away with intimidation and abuse of power, Afifi argues, simply because citizens do not know their own rights. ...

Syrians Skirt Web Blockade on Facebook

Consider this curious fact: In November, when the Syrian regime blocked Internet access to Facebook, the popular online network had 28,000 registered Syrian members. Five months later, the number of Syrians with Facebook accounts had risen to 34,000. ...

QUIZ: What's keeping couples from hitting the beach in Iran this summer?

Physical barriers that separate men from women. By law, most beaches in Iran are segregated - not by race, but by gender. At Chalus’ luxury Hyatt Hotel on the Caspian Sea, for instance, two huge curtains on the beach separate men from women. Another curtain blocks the view so hotel guests can’t see onto these beaches and watch members of the opposite sex. The summer sun may be out, but couples and families in Iran can’t easily hit the waves together.